Build Your Own DIY Tattoo Machine From A 3D Printer

Tattoo parlours could be about to go out of business thanks to a group of students, who were able to take a Makerbot Replicator 3D printer and turn it into an automatic computer aided tattoo machine.

What they acually did was remove the extruder of the printer and replaced it with a pen. As a result the machine was able to draw on a person’s skin, giving a similar result to a tattoo. Not satisfied with the result, the students then replaced the pen with a real manual tattoo instrument.

They first tested the machine on artificial skin material. The results were good but more work was needed before they could even think about trying it on an actual person. Exact calculations and precautions were worked out and then came the part of finding a ‘willing’ volunteer. It turns out that quite a few people were willing to to be the first person to get a tattoo from a robotic machine.

Details on how to build your own robotic tattoo machine can be viewed via Instructables.

3D PRINTER X TATTOO MACHINE / EP 01 from appropriate audiences on Vimeo.

[Image via 3DPrint]

SOURCE: http://3dprint.com/1777/tattoo-robot-hacked-makerbot-3d-printer/